Friday Smiles 422: on my patio

 

Welcome to Friday, everyone.  It's time for Friday Smiles which is hosted by Annie (at A Stitch in Time).   Let's join her and the other wonderful ladies who also share their smiles each Friday.  

I wanted to begin by showing my first rose of the year.  I was absolutely thrilled when I saw it.

I'm sure many of you remember my rusty metal table a friend gave me years ago, and the faded green plastic chairs I found at the curb in my neighborhood with the word "Free" attached to them.  In case you are wondering, this was last year's harvest and my friend Scott cutting leaves from basil so he can make pesto.

 

Over the weekend, I purchased this new table with benches attached.  It's rained so much, the ground is saturated and I can't use my lawn mower until the grass dries a bit.  That meant I had the opportunity to create a huge mess on (what I laughingly call) my patio. 

 

Since I couldn't mow, I brought out all my pots I overwintered in the house, and planted a few plants I had purchased earlier this year and a couple I bought last Friday. 

I've just planted a few seeds, too, including catnip and cantaloupe.  Both my pineapple and orange mint overwintered outside and are coming back strong.

Last year, I tried to grow tomatoes in a bale of hay.  Other people have had great success with growing tomatoes in hay, but all I got was a mess and very few tomatoes at the end  of the year.  Because I wasn't sure what to do with the hay, I decided to add it to pots to which I was planning to plant seeds.  On top of the hay, I added potting soil and bio-char.  I still have a bit more hay, but I may just add it to my compost pile when I clean up the area.  Right now, I'm just glad to get the plants outside that overwintered indoors.

That includes my rosemary and my failed poinsettia plant that I moved out back.

I look forward to having these herbs growing on my table, so I can pinch a few sprigs of herbs as I need them.  I think this is going to work out well for when I return to entertaining, too.

Some of the seed packets from seeds I planted can be seen on my table.  And then, without any warning, the sky turned dark, and I heard thunder.  It was all I could do to gather the seeds I had not yet planted, my camera, and my cleaning equipment and head inside.

Within five minutes, the rain started.  I shot this from inside my laundry room window and you can see how the rain has already made a mess on my patio.

I'm not sure you can see how the water is pooling in the green plastic chairs, but at least the plants and the pots that have yet to be planted are getting a good soaking.

Now let's join Annie (at A Stitch in Time) and the lovely ladies who join her.  Thanks again for visiting and spending a bit of time with Bleubeard and me this Friday.